A shattered past
by runing-to-hide-from-myself
Summary: Everybody has a past. But not everyone has a good one.
1. Now and then

A shattered past 

Summary-

Chapter 1 Now and then 

A 17 year old boy stood on the crow's nest starring out at the sea before him. Heaving a sigh he glanced down at the crushed bow on the boat. It had been 6 months since the island adventure. He always felt a pang of sadness when he thought of it. They lost so many people that day. And he lost his 'father-figure' Mr. Hayes.

He tried not to think about it. He hadn't heard of what had happened to anyone since they reached New York. He was still on the Venture, along with Englehorn and a few other crewmembers.

The one he really wondered what happened to was Ann. She reminded him so much of someone. Some one he longed to forget. But as much as he wanted to forget her, he was afraid that if he forgot her then she might have forgotten him. If she was even alive. Who knows what they did to her when…

Maybe it would be easier if we started from the beginning.

March 3, 1919

The first day they met had started off ordinarily for him. His mother made him breakfast and walked him over to the neighbors so the could watch him while she worked.

She'd brush his brown hair out of his eyes and kiss his forehead. "Be good. I'll see you at 5." She always said this. Every time.

He was the only one who stayed with the neighbors, the Rames, until that day. That day when he walked in there was a little girl with black hair and green eyes sitting on the couch. She was starring at the floor as if it could answer every question in the world.

In his 4 year old brain the only question that seemed important then was why was she sitting in his seat?

"Who are you?" he demanded walking up to the girl.

She gave such a start she fell out of her seat.

"I's Linny." She said in a sad little voice rubbing her backside.

"You's was in my seat." He said.

"I's don't see your name on it!" she exclaimed.

"Well that's cause you don't now my name!"

"Well what's is it's?"

"Jimmy."

Such was the beginning of a life long friendship.


	2. A look at the life

Chapter 2 A look at the life 

July 18 1921

A six year old Jimmy and a 5 year old Linny sat on the Rames front steps on a hot summer day. Both had ice cubes in their hands and were trying to lick them up before they melted.

"Finished!" Linny cried wiping her dripping hands on Jimmy's bare arm.

He giggled and did it to her.

She laughed loudly and waved to a figure with a top hat on. "Hiya Mr. Rames!" she called out loudly.

He waved to her.

She got up and proclaimed to Jimmy. "I bet you can't catch me!" and then she ran off.

He jumped up and ran after her.

The children ran around the yard until finally Jimmy caught her.

They rolled on the grass laughing for awhile. "That was fun." They both said at the same time. They did that a lot. They were together almost every day now. And on the days that they weren't each child was so miserable that nothing the parents said made them feel better.

"I can't wait to start school next month!" Linny cried sitting up.

"It's boring." Jimmy said propping up on his elbows. "You'll hate it."

"No I won't!"

"Why wouldn't you!"

"Cause you'll be there!" she cried in such a 'what are you stupid' voice that he fell silent.

They sat in silence until Jimmy threw dirt at her and they started a dirt fight.

December 25, 1921

"Open it!" Jimmy whined while Linny opened her present painfully slow.

"I's hurrying." She mumbeled.

As the paper fell away she gasped.

"Its gorges!" she said awestruck

"I's glad you likes it." He said proudly.

She stared down at the small fake pearl necklace in her hands.

"Help me put it on." She said turning so he could fasten it.

He clumsily fastened it. She turned around and the white pearls gleamed in the light. The white was such a contrast to her black hair. "Now it's beautiful."

She blushed. "Open yours!"

He quickly ripped off the paper. He stared at the drawing in front of him. It was a childlike drawing with only pencil to color it in. But the two figures forever smiling in it were unmistakably them.

January 1 1922

"Happy new year!" called the seven people in union. Jimmy, his mom, Linny and her parents were all at the Rames.

Without thinking Linny leaned over and kissed Jimmy on the cheek.

Both looked away from eachother while the adults cooed.

They never lived that moment down.


	3. Not so happy now

Chapter 3 Not so happy now 

April 10, 1922

A 7 year old Jimmy stormed into Linny's house that morning, fuming.

"What's wrong?" Linny asked looking up from her book.

"Mommy's dating a mean man!" he cried sitting down with tears in his eyes.

She jumped off the couch and rapped her arms around him.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

"He hit me!" he cried rubbing his cheek were a hand mark resided.

She gasped and laid her head on his shoulder. "Does your Mommy know?"

"Yeah." He muttered wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Then don't worry. You'll probably never see him again." She said with a smile.

July 4, 1922

Linny was wrong. Jimmy's mother kept seeing the man, whose name was Oscar. He seemed to be a perfect person when he was around Jimmy's mother, but around Jimmy and Linny((I just now noticed their names rhyme!))he was completely different.

He hadn't hit him since, seeing as his mother was totally upset about it.

But the thing was, he gave the children an evil vibe. Like he was the grim reaper himself.

On this evening the children were sitting in the local park watching the fireworks burst in the air. They'd listen to the ooos and awws of the people around them, but they chose to keep their excitement inside. Especially since they were more concerned with the fact that Oscar and Jimmy's mother, Heather, were cuddling in front of them.

They turned towards each other and made disgusted faces. Laughing at each other they went back to watching the sky. And the moment their attention was off them. Oscar pulled a ring out of his pocket, and said 4 little words that crashed Jimmy's world.

July 5, 1922

"I can't believe she's doing this to me!" Jimmy cried packing his stuff. "I don't wanna move away from you. I wanna stay here." He whined.

"I know. But you'll only be on the other side of the city. I can still see you sometimes." Linny the voice of reason said calmly.

"It's not fair." He cried sitting down. "Some birthday this is."

Linny smiled. She carefully pulled a package out of her pocket. "Will this help make it better?" she asked handing it to him.

Confused, he torn off the paper. Into his hands fell a small pencil and a smaller book of paper.

He looked at her his eyebrow raised.

"That way whenever you want to tell me something you can write it down. I have one too. SO then we can just hand each other the papers and have more time to play. You know without catching up. It'll be quicker this way!"

He smiled. "You're a genius!"

August 09, 1922

The paper books turned out to be a very good idea. They hadn't seen each other expect for Linny's birthday party on July 30. Every day the two of them would sit someplace in there house, Jimmy hiding from Oscar, Linny hiding from her parents daily fight.

And each would curl up, pull out the pencil and write. And each one was ended with 'I miss you.'

One important 'letter' of Linny's was this

Jimmy,

I'm so sad. I don't know what to do! Daddy's up in his room right now, cryin. Mommy left last night. When we's woke up all her stuff was gone! She's gone for good this time. And we don't know where she is. Well at least I'll get to see you in school in September if I don't see you sooner.

Bye,

Linny

I miss you

That was the most important letter she ever wrote. And it was never given to the receiver for 2 months.

September 13, 1922

Linny,

He hit me again. Mom didn't see it. She doesn't even believe me when I told her she said I was 8 years old and should act like it by not spreading lies. Can you imagine that! He's done something to her Linny, and it ain't good.

I miss you

October 25, 1922

This was the day they finally saw each other. It was the day when Linny finally returned to school. Her father had kept her home everyday, in hope of her mother coming back. She never did.

When she walked into the school he was the first person she saw. They hugged until neither could breath. When they handed each other their letters the bell rang. Neither learned that much that day, they were to busy reading their notes.

But as bad as the children's life had been. They were going to realize, it was gonna get worse.

Pyra250- thanks for the review. And I know its scattered but it has to be. Cause I'm just trying to write out whats really important to the plot of the story. But I will try to keep them closer together. But I might have to skip 6 or so months at a time. And I'll work on detail. I keep forgetting not everyone can see inside my head.


	4. Lost and deceived

Chapter 4 Lost and deceived 

November 3, 1922

Jimmy's mom had walked him to school that day on her way to the market. Since she married Oscar she had quit her job because he thought it showed poorness if a women had to work.

"Goodbye Hun. I will see you tonight." She said kissing his forehead.

But this time, she lied.

Later that day.

Jimmy ran down the streets as fast as he could. He had to get to Linny. Oscar had to be lying. His mother was not dead.

"Linny!" he cried bursting through her door.

She looked at him with red eyes. "I heard about your mother. I'm sorry." She whispered in such a fragile voice that he knew it was true.

He fell to the floor sobs racking his body.

All Linny knew to do was crawl over to him and hug him.

But after a few moments he felt a soft pat on his head then another. Looking up he realized she was crying too.

November 6, 1922

Jimmy's mother was buried that day. Jimmy watched with a stone set face as the casket was lowered. Linny hung onto his hand the entire time.

Once all the dirt was put back, he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

He didn't have to look to know it was Oscar.

"Lets go, son." He whispered, not a trace of sorrow in his voice.

"How did she die?" Jimmy asked in a small voice.

"A bullet through the head. Now lets go or that can be arranged to happen to you."

September 01, 1923

((Sorry for the major time jump. But I had to do it. Nothing of real importance happened anyway.))

"I'm not going back to school." Jimmy said while he and Linny were walking through the park.

Linny spun to face him. "Why!"

"Oscar says I have to go to work now."

"But your only nine years!"

"He says that's old enough." He said holding his arms to fight the chill breeze.

"Where will you work?"

"He says I'm to work at the fish market."

December 12, 1923

"Hey Jimmy." Linny said walking over to his stall.

He smiled. "Hey birthday girl."

She hugged him. "You remembered!"

"Of course I did!" he said, pulling out a small paper wrapped package.

She ripped it off eagerly. "It's beautiful." She whispered. In her hand lay a small clear stone. When she moved it a little a rainbow could be seen through it.

"You deserve it. Your 8 years old today."

She hugged him. "Thank you."

February 04, 1924

Jimmy sat on a chair near his booth, hugging his coat for warmth. Linny sat on the booth top next to him, her teeth chattering.

"One day Linny, I'm gonna go to the sea."

"And I'll be right at your side writing books that'll go down as classics." She cried holding her arms out.

They sat there talking about this dream until his workday was over.

Pyra250- wow you must like my story to have reviewed twice. And the reason he doesn't seem afriad of Oscar is he tries to block him out of his mind.

Stroppy Teenager- what does stroppy mean? I'm glad you like my story. I thought at first that people wouldn't like it because his past is supposed to be dark but this seems happy. Until this chapter.

elvespiratesandcowboysohmy- Love the name. glad you like it.


	5. the only solution

Chapter 5 The only solution 

July 19, 1924

Jimmy had turned 10 a few days ago. On that day he still had to go to work and the only one who even remembered his birthday was Linny.

Well maybe Oscar remembered, because there was now a new bruise on Jimmy's face.

Jimmy stood behind the fish booth selling the fish to customers.

He absentmindly rubbed his now black eye. Oscar had never givin him so many bruises and cuts. Usually it was just the occasional slap. Not since his mother died had he been this afraid of him.

What had he ever done to make this man hate him so much? He was almost afraid of the answer. The other day he found his mother's first wedding ring, the one his father gave her, in the trashcan. He took it.

It now hung from a string around his neck, tucked into his shirt. He couldn't risk Oscar seeing it.

Picking at a scab on his left hand he stared into space. He almost missed school. He was barely able to get the price for the fish right most days. He watched as some fancy ladies walked by. He wished his mother might have had a chance to have lived like that.

As a customer came up and bought something he saw Linny coming towards the booth. She came everyday after school and all day on Saturday. She hated going home in the evenings. Ever since her mother left two years ago her father had decided alcohol was his new best friend.

"Hi Jimmy." Linny said sitting down on the bench next to him.

He turned his head away trying to keep the bruises hidden. "What's wrong?" she asked trying to move his face so she could see it. He winced. He turned slowly towards her.

She gasped. "Are there any others?"

He nodded slowly and gravely, rolling up the sleeves on his threadbare shirt. Bruises and a few cuts ran along the insides of his arms.

"He's gonna kill you if you don't get out of there." She said panicky.

"I can't leave. I don't have money, or anywhere to go." He said kicking at some dirt.

"You have a job. How can you not have money?"

"Oscar keeps all of it." He mumbeled.

She sighed. "I'll think of something."

October 02, 1924

And she did. She got a job at a small bakery near the outskirts of the fish market. She only worked there after school and on weekends since Jimmy refused to let her quit school. She'd saved every penny she got and hid it in a safe place far from where her father usually went.

They still hadn't thought of somewhere to go.

They wanted somewhere near the ocean, but not a place where it was hot. They finally found a place. The big city. It was big enough for no one to find them, near the ocean, and it was only a state over. Their main problem now, was how to get there.

"I say we take a train." Linny said, singing her legs back and forth as she sat on the small bench.

"To much money. Its not to far, we could walk." Jimmy argued.

"With winter coming! We'd freeze!"

"Then we'll wait for summer. A few months more won't hurt."

They agreed to save as much money as they could, and in 6 months, they'd be long gone.

hopefully this chapter probably explained to you all why he wasn't really scared of Oscar. He is now. But before he only hit him once and awhile.

Pyra250- i'm glad you like it.And i'll try to remember detail.

elvespiratesandcowboysohmy-glad you like it. And you'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Stroppy-teenager- I love that word. It sounds so funny. And yes i'm from America. And yes we have terrible twos. Glad you like it. But the main change was in this chapter.


	6. running

Chapter 6 Running 

November 19, 1924

"What the hell are you doing home?" Oscar boomed as Jimmy walked quietly inside the house.

"I got the day off." He stuttered.

"Why did you take the day off? We need money!" he yelled so loud the windows shook.

"They said they didn't need me today." He whispered.

"Bull shit! Don't you lie to me!" Oscar screamed grabbing a vase and throwing it at him.

A few shards went deep into Jimmy's arm. He screamed.

"You wimp. I'll show you what real pain is." Oscar grabbed a knife from the kitchen.

Jimmy froze. Then did the one reasonable thing. Ran.

The door of Linny's house burst open. Jimmy stood there panting clutching his bleeding arm.

"We're leaving. Lets go." He said.

"But what happened. Why are we leaving now?" she said franticly.

"Just get the money and lets go." He urged.

As soon as she had the money he grabbed her hand and they started running.

"How are we gonna get there? What happened to your arm?"

"I'll tell you later." He urged trying to get her to run faster.

She realized this must be important so she concentrated on running.

November 20, 1924

Linny wrapped her arms around her trying to stop shivering.

She had taken the shards of vase out of Jimmy's arm but it still hurt as bad.

"So what now?" she asked stepping on the dead grass with a light crunch. "The grass is frozen. It'll snow soon."

"I'm sorry. We had to leave though. I thought he was gonna kill me." He whispered scared still.

"Your safe for now." She said grabbing his hand. "We're gonna freeze though if we don't get coats."

"We'll get them at the next town."


End file.
